Imatges de pàgina
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The church is a handsomel spacious structure, and the spire the loftiest in the county. Pop. 10,449.

cross river Parrot.

Approach the river Tone, and then ascend its valley to Taunton.

Taunton,

a town of great antiquity, and one of the principal in the county. There are some! remains of a castle, supposed to have been crected about 700 A. B. One of its churches' is an edifice of great elegance and splendour. Its interior contains a very curious roof, and beautifully carved desk! and pulpit. Pop. 12,000.

Wellington

is a neat town, and contains many good houses. Through the interjacent country runs the Prætorian highway, called Watling Street. The inhabitants are chiefly em ployed in working coal and lime.

About 4 miles from the station we enter Devonshire, and pass through the prin-1 cipal tunnel on the line, fiveeighths of a mile in length. We then descend through a deep cutting into the valley of the river Culme.

Tiverton Station. Tiverton is a town of considerable antiquity, pleasantly situated on the slope of a hill. The principal buildings are, the castle, church, and free grammar school. The church is an interesting structure, containing several costly monuments. The view from the church-yard is strikingly picturesque. Tiverton returns two members to Parliament. Pop. 9766. Collumpton.

The principal trade is the woollen manufacture.

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Taunton sends two mem,bers to Parliament, and has a weekly market on Wed nesday and Saturday. was the scene of many ina quitous executims in the time of James 11. under the direction of Kirk and Jef Įtereys.

Bishop's Hull.
Bradford.

Heatherton Park, W. Adair, Esq.

Burlescombe Offculme.

We now descend the Culme, famous for its trout and cels.

Worridge.

Welland.

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Exeter, the capital of Devonshire, on the banks of the Exe, is a large city, extending about three miles in circumference. It is intersected by four principal streets, which meet in the centre. A handsome bridge has been thrown over the river at an expense of L.20,000. The cathedral of St Peter, chiefly of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, is a magnificent structure. Its western window is much admired. The cathedral contains numerous ancient monuments of its bishops and of the Bohun and Courtenay families. The north tower contains a clock curiously ornamented, and an immense bell weighing 12,500 lbs., both the gifts of Bishop Courtenay. Near the Cathedral (and south-east) is the Bishop's Palace, a venerable building. On the north-east of the city are the ruins of Rougemont Castle, formerly the residence of the West Saxon kings. The guildhall, in High Street, contains several valuable portraits. A commodious custom-house has been erected on the quay. Formerly, Exeter was the emporium of the thinner kind of woollen goods, such as serges, druggets, and long ells, which were spun and woven in the neighbouring towns, and finished in the city. They were then exported to various countries. The invention of machinery and the cheapness of fuel have nearly destroyed these branches of trade, with the exception of that to India, which is still considerable. As Exeter is a kind of metropolis for Devon and Cornwall, it receives the produce of these counties in exchange for foreign commodities. The country around Exeter is very fertile, affording good pasture, corn, dairy, and fattening land, and abounding in fruit, especially apples, which yield plenty of the best cider. The river Exe is so far navigable, that by means of locks, vessels of 150 tons burden can come up to the city; those that are larger remain at Topsham, and the largest at Exmouth, at the mouth of the river three miles lower. The diocese includes nearly the whole of Devon and Cornwall. In Exeter, there is a considerable number of churches belonging to the Establishment; several chapels of ease, and a few dissenting meeting-houses; numerous charitable institutions, and a neat theatre. The city is divided, for municipal purposes, into six wards, and is governed by a mayor, twelve aldermen, and thirty-five councillors. It returns two members to Parliament. The markets are held on Wednesday and Friday, and there is a good fish-market daily. The po, ulation in 1831 was 28,201, and in 1841 it amounted to 31,312.

From Exeter to Tiverton is 13 miles-Crediton, 7-Chumleigh, 21|--South Molton, 294-Barnstaple, 37-Bideford, 391.

Crediton is an ancient and populous town situated on the Crede, between two hills. It has twice suffered severely from fire. The church is an elegant Gothic structure, in which is a beautiful altar-piece. Pop. of par. 5947. Near Crediton is Downs, (J. W. Buller, Esq.) Creedy House, (Sir H. Davie, Bart.) and Fulford Park, (R. H. Tuckfield, Esq.)

South Molton is an ancient market and borough-town situated on an eminence near the west side of the river Mole. It has a guildhall, a spacious church containing several monuments and a good altar-piece, a free school, a charity school, &c. Population, 4274. Between South Molton and Barnstaple is Castle Hill, the splendid mansion of Earl Fortescue, Lord-Lieutenant of the county. Barnstaple is an ancient place situated on the Taw, and is one of the neatest towns in Devon. Previous to the Conquest, it was a royal demesne, and is said to have been constituted a borough by King Athelstan, who built a castle here, of which nothing now remains except a high artificial mount. The woollen trade, which the town once possessed, has declined, but it still carries on a trade in timber, baize, silk stockings and waistcoats. It has a spacious church, a guildhall, a theatre, charity, national, and free grammar schools. The poet Gay was born in the vicinity, and received his education at the grammar-school here. Barnstaple returns two members to Parliament. Population, 7902. A few miles from Barnstaple is Tawstock Court, the seat of Sir B. Wrey, beautifully situated and surrounded by extensive woods and and grounds. The church contains a number of handsome monuments. Eight and a half miles from Barnstaple is Bideford, pleasantly situated on the banks of the Torridge, over which is an ancient bridge of twenty-four arches. The view above the bridge is remarkably picturesque. Bideford has greatly increased in importance within a few years, and now carries on an extensive trade. Pop. of par. 5211. One mile from the town is Daddon House, L. W. Buck, Esq. Thirteen miles and a half from Bideford is Hartland, a small sea-port town, bleakly situated on a neck of land called Hartland Point. Population, 2223. The church, a large and handsome structure, forms a landmark to mariners. About 64 miles from Bideford, and 45 from Exeter, is Torrington, a populous and flourishing town, finely situated on the east bank of the Torridge. A bowling-green now occupies the site of the ancient castle. The views from the two bridges in the vicinity of the town are extremely picturesque. Population, 3419. Ten miles and a half from Torrington, and 28 from Exeter, is Hatherleigh, an ancient but inconsiderable market and borough town, situated on a branch of the Torridge. The manor anciently belonged to the Abbot of Tavistock. Population, 1882. About 21 miles from Hatherleigh, and in Cornwall, is Stratton, famous as the place where the Parliamentary forces under the Earl of Stamford were defeated by the Cornish Royalists under Sir Beville Granville. Two miles from Stratton is Bude, a considerable watering-place. Five miles from Stratton is Kilkhampton, where there is

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